Northern Province Chief Minister (CM) C.V. Wigneswaran and Jaffna Security Forces Commander (SFC) Major General Udaya Perera have made contradictory statements, on the security situation in the North, to the Hindu.

While Wigneswaran has said that the story, about the LTTE regrouping had been floated in order to justify the heavy military presence in the North, Maj. Gen. Perera says that the present stringent security measures have been aimed at preventing a possible re-emergence of the group in the island.

Maj. Gen. Perera said, “We hear that sections of the Diaspora are funding some of those elements here.” The ‘precaution,’ he said, was also necessary to nab a suspect, who opened fire on a policeman in Kilinochchi.
The army has maintained that the suspect, Gopi, and an associate, Appan, had links with sections of the Tamil Diaspora reportedly working to revive the LTTE. “There is no popular support for such regrouping, but such forces may exploit vulnerable communities in the North. We will not allow that,” Maj. Gen. Perera told The Hindu.

Wigneswaran observing that the story about the LTTE re-emerging was ‘very weak’, said many unanswered questions remained about the suspect Gopi, the policeman said to have been injured when he reportedly opened fire, and the delay in nabbing him.

“We have been repeatedly asking the government to confine the military in the North to the barracks, but the government does not want to de-militarise the North. This story is being floated only to justify the military presence in the North,” Wigneswaran said.
(AP)

Army Commander, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, has assured that the LTTE would not be allowed to regroup and the Security Forces would do its best to safeguard national security.

The Army Chief expressed concern over the present security situation in the North when he toured Kilinochchi on Monday where he took part in several welfare activities.

The Army Chief in his address further said the Security Forces have made immense sacrifice to establish peace in the North and East and in the country at large. However, certain external forces are trying to disrupt the peace by reviving the LTTE, he added.

“The recent security measures taken in the North are aimed at preventing any form of LTTE activities in the North and not to create any problems to the civilians. Therefore, the civilians should cooperate with the Security Forces and the police in preventing any form of subversive activities in the North,” the Army Commander said.
In his address to nearly 350 officers serving in the Kilinochchi District, he explained the attempts made by disruptive elements abroad to disrupt the peace in the country by creating various forms of obstacles in the international arena.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake also explained the livelihood and development programmes supported by the Army in the North.

The Army Commander handed over authorized documents to the owners of the private lands released by the Army in Kilinochchi. A significant number of civilians regained their lands, which were in the possession of the Army.
Meanwhile, the search operations have also been launched in the Eastern Province to nab the LTTE suspects wanted in connection with the shooting incident at Tharmapuram, Kilinochchi, two weeks ago and posters have come up in various places in the East giving the details of the suspects.
(AP)

The Northern Provincial Council is seriously considering bringing a resolution against the presence of the military at public and school events in the North, sources said.

Addressing the media, after a meeting with the French Ambassador, Jean Paul-Manchau, the Chairman of the Northern Provincial Council, C. V. K. Sivagnanam, pointed out that the resolution was being discussed and it would be finalized by the NPC shortly. The meeting took place last Monday.

Sivagnanam stressed on the need for the Northern Provincial Council to regain control over the schools under its administration, as the military presence and involvement in civil activities was preventing the freedom of expression in the North and East, and the students, along with the general public, feel uncomfortable when they find the military at civil events.
(AP)